The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-09
Canada and The United states.


Attorney General Longley, of Nova Scotia,
in letter to the Argus complains that the
United States does not treat the Dominion
generously. Here is his language:
When see powerful Anne rican newspapers
breathing out abuse and threats against Canada;
when see prominent American statesmen, sup
70 sD Dd n9srhng men gsag ann m th e
caring the terrible things that will be done unless
they give over enforcing the treaty Of 1878; when
condescending to retaliation bills against Canada;
then think the American people, with all their
traditional pride, do not realize what great ma
tiOn they are. III the American people would put
aside prejudice and look at the matter broadly
and honestly they would see that they have moth
ing 10 fear from the closest and most intimate
commercial relations with Canada, and that, as
we happen to be side by side, speak the same lam
suage, spring from the same race, and enjoy the
same Institutions there is every reason why we
should be intimate, friendly, and associated To-
gether In the great work OF making our continent
the home of civilization, peace and prosperity.
This sounds well, but it is only one side Of
the picture. If there is i'll feeling between
the two countries the fault is much more
with Canada than with the United States
After trying for a number of years an ar
rangement made terminable at the pleasure
Of either party after due notice, the United
States discovered that it would be death to
her fishery interests to continue it longer,
and so ended it. The United States aban-
doned all claim to the privilege OF inshore
fishing along the Dominion coast and re-
stored the tariff on fish caught by Canadian
fishermen which had. been removed in return
for the inshore privilege. In doing so we
did but exercise a right that the treaty
gave us and right which the preservation
Of the interests of our own citizens compelled
- fatIa o u.
liberately set to work to compel us to renew
the old arrangement, for that such was the
purpose Of the acts that followed was never
much disguised, and recently has been
clearly confessed by the Dominion press.
Our fishing vessels were prosecuted in every
way that the ingenuity of Canadian officials
could suggest Commercial privileges al
lowed the vessels of every other nation and
freely granted to Canadian vessels in our
ports, were denied, obsolete customs laws
were hunted up and the breath of life
breathed into them simply for the purpose of
harassing our vessels. American shippers,
innocent of any intentional violation of
Canadian customs laws, found their vessels
seized and heavily fined for doing what they
had been permitted to do hundreds of times
without even a reprimand. These acts, too,
were generally endorsed by the Canadian
press, and the masters of the Dominion
cruisers whose principal business was to as
sst in this persecution, were continually
urged to greater display of vigilance and
energy in the pursuit of their purpose. If
there ever was a Canadian voice raised
ainst these petty prosecutions it was so
feeble that 1t did not make itself heard over
the border
What did the United States government
do in response to this treatment? II made
some protests, rather feeble ones for the
most part. and that is all. To be sure Con-
gress gave the President power to retaliate.
but he never exercised it, Canadian vessels
still enjoy in our ports all the privileges
they ever did, Canadian railroads still
reap a rich harvest from our terri
tory and enjoy privileges greater than are
allowed our home corporations. Even the
restriction against the admission of Cana
dian fish is only partial, and what there
Is the President and his free trade support
ers in the House are planning to remove.
Our newspapers have breathed out some
threatening and slaughter, but in this par
tlcular we have been greatly distanced by
the Tory organ in Halifax, which alleges in a |
recent issue that our Congress is made up of |
men who are simply playing for power and |
pelf'' and warns its constituents against any |
alliance, commercial or otherwise, with the
minion would be fieeced by our Congress.